Report transcript in: Lincolnshire's Fighting Fit Champion Clare preps for 2025 London Marathon run to raise funds for Lymphoma Action

Please Report the Errrors?

So,

um,

if you,

can you,

can we just start by just you kind of introducing yourself and just telling me,

telling us a bit about yourself?

OK,

so,

um,

I'm Claire,

um,

I'm

now 56 years of age,

um,

and

I'm

just coming up to being

4 years since I,

um,

completed my treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,

um.

During this time,

um,

I've got a,

um,

a good family of my husband and 3 children

who are grown up boys,

who have,

um,

decided to take it upon themselves to raise money for lymphoma action,

and,

um,

we're currently in the midst of training

for um the London Marathon.

Um,

yes,

this is going to be my 2nd time round,

having done it,

um,

11 years ago,

um,

but obviously now under very different circumstances.

Um,

yeah.

So how many of you are running on the actual day,

how many family members are gonna be running with you?

So on the day,

I've got my husband um who uh ran it last year for lymphoma action,

and then I have my son,

my youngest,

Michael,

who

ran the London Marathon in 2023.

And also last year,

ran from John O'Groats to Land's End by the Three Peaks,

to raise awareness for lymphoma action,

and,

um,

got the fastest known time in doing so,

and ran it in,

um,

19 days in a couple.

hours.

So you're in good company then.

Yeah,

yeah.

So he,

he's,

um,

his achievements or their achievements really,

um,

of what

started,

um,

me wanting that buzz to,

to get out and to run again.

And so you,

you ran before your cancer diagnosis and then did you have a period of time where

you didn't,

you,

you kind of,

you weren't running,

you weren't quite as active?

Yeah,

I mean,

I've always enjoyed running.

In fact,

I started running when my mum was poorly um with cancer

and just found it

um a way to get out and.

You know,

almost clear my head and deal with

what my mum was going through,

so I,

um,

continued to run all the way through up until 2020.

Um,

and then when I got my diagnosis,

that was one of the things I just thought,

oh my goodness,

I'm,

I'm not gonna be able to run again.

Automatically assumed,

assumed the worst,

um,

the,

the cancer was gonna stop me.

Um,

that,

you know,

um,

this was gonna be so life changing

that,

um.

You know,

I just,

it was the fear of the unknown,

I just thought that's it,

where do we go from here?

Um,

and I remember when I completed my um chemo,

I went out for a run,

and it,

it was just only a K,

but I was just so relieved to be able to say,

oh,

I've been for a run again.

Um,

it's just,

it's just one of those,

um,

it's,

you know,

people have their own things,

but for me,

I'm not a fast runner,

I'm not,

you know,

a good runner,

but it is just something that I like to do

to,

to get out,

and it just makes,

you know,

for my mental health,

it just makes me feel really good.

So,

um,

so,

yeah,

really good.

So,

so you've,

you,

so in addition to your training for the London Marathon.

You've been,

I mean,

we initially met as part of the fighting fit,

um,

5K that was that that runs from Belton House in Grantham and.

And,

and you came along to that for the first time.

Was it actually on the first

meeting,

I think it was,

wasn't it?

Yeah.

So how did you find out about that?

Well,

um,

you see,

the thing was,

I when I finished treatment and we moved here because of,

because I come,

I didn't have my treatment in Lincolnshire.

Um,

I had my treatment in Northamptonshire.

So when we moved here,

it was,

it's kind of like a a fresh start,

and,

um,

I really wanted to get out and meet people.

And obviously,

um,

I had a friend that I used to be able to go running with,

um,

regularly before cancer,

um,

and,

you know,

the distance meant that we couldn't do it,

our circumstances had changed.

So it was like I wanted to get out and meet people,

and then I was just reading the Grantham Journal,

and I saw the advert for fighting fit,

and I just thought,

oh,

this would be amazing to be able to.

Kill two birds with one stone,

meet people

and people that have gone through cancer treatment,

cancer diagnosis,

or family members

that have gone through,

um,

cancer,

because

it is a bit of a cliche,

but you don't know what it's like until you've been through it yourself.

So I really,

really,

um,

wanted to go,

but was so nervous,

so,

um,

apprehensive

because

It's,

it's just such a big thing,

so yeah,

so I,

I saw the advert,

went right,

you know,

it's now or never.

And,

um,

got up Saturday morning,

parked my car in the car park,

went on my own.

My husband said,

Do you want to come?

I said,

No,

if I'm gonna do this,

I've got to do this by myself.

And I,

I just remember like walking up to the stand and then walking past,

and then going back again.

And I just caught,

um,

one of the girl's eyes,

and she was like,

Are you OK?

And I was like,

Oh,

yeah,

yeah.

And then.

And just that was it.

And then from going from being really apprehensive,

and really

shy and nervous to just nonstop

chatting,

um,

you know,

and I just felt so good and there was a lady that,

um,

because obviously you can go and you can walk,

you can

run,

you can not bother at all and just go and have a coffee.

And I thought,

oh,

I'll just walk with,

um,

With the,

with the group,

and there was a lady there that morning,

and she said,

no,

I'm gonna run.

And I thought,

oh,

well,

I'll see if I can

run with this form she'd gone.

I was just like,

oh,

well,

I'm running by myself now.

But,

um,

but no,

it was just great.

And I,

I just got the buzz.

I just felt so,

so good.

It was,

it was just so welcoming.

Um,

so yeah,

and it,

it's just changed my.

Um,

feeling about running,

it's given me my confidence back to be out there,

um,

you don't,

I don't need to go out and just be on my own,

so,

um,

yeah,

it's been so good for me,

so good.

And have you kind of made friendships within the group,

has,

has that.

Outside of the fighting.

So,

I mean,

you know,

obviously,

um,

we meet once a month,

so it's nice to catch up with people once a month.

Um,

um,

yeah,

I would,

you know,

I've,

I've tried to get involved,

um,

with the,

with one of the other groups connected,

but unfortunately,

it doesn't

work with work,

um,

which is so inconvenient.

Um,

but yeah,

no,

I think.

I think,

um,

it's,

it's really good and it's,

it's nice because,

you know,

I'll bump into people

now in,

in the shops and stuff.

And oh,

yeah,

you can go to fighting fit and,

you know,

so yeah,

it's,

it is good.

It's good.

We need more people though.

It'd be nice to get,

um,

more people to come down.

And I just think if we could reach out and grab those people,

they would

feel so much better for doing so,

for coming down.

I think it's kind of

getting people,

like you had that initial apprehension,

didn't you,

about being,

you know,

approaching the group,

being part of what what to expect,

and I guess it's getting over that hurdle for some people,

isn't it?

Um.

And do you feel that?

Being part of the group,

not just,

not necessarily just the fighting fit group,

but

everything that you're doing now,

the fighting fit,

the training for the marathon,

how do you feel,

feel that's impacted on your physical and mental health?

Do you,

do you feel

much more resilient?

Do you know,

have you noticed that your resilience levels have increased because of that?

Yeah,

no,

I I think I feel so much more positive.

It's even,

you know,

um.

I've,

I've just was talking to someone this morning

and I feel incredibly privileged to be,

um,

in the position I'm in,

and I don't just mean running the London Marathon,

I mean,

you know,

I've been in remission for coming up for 4 years.

That,

that's amazing,

and I'm,

you know,

I have that fear,

obviously it's gonna come back,

um.

You know,

I don't know,

it could be tomorrow,

it could be 10 years,

what you,

you,

uh,

we don't know with the type of cancer I've got,

but um,

yeah,

I mean,

it,

being with people

that

have that understanding of cancer,

you know,

you just.

Want to

take

life and live it,

you know?

And I feel that this group,

um,

has helped me immensely to do that.

You appreciate that,

you know,

there's others around you that have been perhaps

through a worse situation than I've been in.

Um,

and,

you know,

you sort of feed from the strength,

that,

that they give you.

So,

um,

yeah,

I just.

I think it's such such a um a good group that,

you know,

from that,

from being able to just

go and run

and meet

people.

Once a week,

or sorry,

one Saturday a month,

I've now joined Grantham Run Club.

I would never,

you know,

so that's now progressed to another

stage of meeting people,

nothing to do with cancer,

nothing to do,

you know,

that's me getting out,

meeting people,

running with people.

Really,

probably

a lot of them wouldn't even know

what my story is.

And that was gonna be my next,

my next question.

Do you,

you know,

do you,

do you

disclose your,

your cancer diagnosis,

or do you feel like you just don't need to?

I just I feel now that like I don't need to.

You know,

I mean,

obviously,

if it came up,

I would openly discuss it,

and I would like to help anybody

who is going through or,

you know,

going through that,

um,

difficult

time of,

um,

of their life,

because let's face it,

so many people are affected by cancer,

or any long it doesn't have to just be cancer,

it's any long term,

um,

disease or illness.

Um,

but yeah,

I mean,

probably because of

A bit late in the day,

but doing some fundraising,

more people are actually going to find out now what my story is,

but,

um,

because it's,

you know,

it's uh BBC have picked up the story,

um,

in the local news or whatever,

so,

but,

you know,

up until that point,

I'm just

a player that goes to running club,

um,

you know,

so,

um.

Which is nice.

It,

it's,

you know,

it gives you back that choice,

doesn't it?

It's that choice of whether you want to

divulge your cancer diagnosis or whether you just go and be Claire.

It's,

and that's,

that's a nice position to be in,

I think,

isn't it?

Yeah.

And that you've got that choice,

so.

So what um

so you're running for lymphoma action,

how much are you intending,

how much do you want to raise for the charity?

Have you set a goal?

I haven't um set a goal because um.

Over the last 3 years,

um,

Michael and Brendan

and

Andrew and Jack and myself,

we have,

um,

obviously been out there

asking,

begging for,

um,

people to,

to sponsor all the challenges that have been done,

but we are currently sitting at over 11,000 pounds,

and I have to put that mainly down to Michael,

because it's Michael's challenges,

it's Michael's,

you know,

um.

Phenomenal

energy

and uh I mean he's like superhuman to have done what he's done.

So,

um,

so yes,

for his,

his London marathon

in 2023,

he's running the country,

the length of the country,

and then Brendan's marathon,

um,

I'm,

I'm just topping up at the moment,

so,

um,

but anything,

any donation,

large or small,

is greatly appreciated.

I mean,

you know,

a lymphoma is.

Um,

one of the,

I think,

5th most common cancers,

um,

one person in every

28 minutes is diagnosed.

There's over 60 different types of lymphoma.

I mean,

it's,

um,

it's a tumour,

sorry,

it's a cancer I knew very little about

before I got it.

I mean,

I work in cancer services myself,

you know,

I've um.

You know,

I've seen my mother go through cancer treatment and pass away from it.

It's,

it's a horrible disease,

um,

but yeah,

I knew nothing about blood cancer,

um,

and,

and so having lymphoma action

there to support me was incredible,

particularly because I was diagnosed during COVID.

Um,

obviously I wasn't able to go to,

um,

chemo

with any,

with my husband or with anybody.

I had to go on my own,

you know,

we were always in masks,

you know,

we were sort of social distancing in the chemo ward.

I mean,

it was,

it was very,

it was a very lonely time.

Um,

and

we couldn't go to physical support groups,

so the what I had was lymphoma action.

I use them for

the knowledge.

About lymphoma,

um,

you know,

there's plenty of good literature there,

rather than using

Doctor Google.

And,

um,

then we had a closed Facebook support group.

So,

you know,

you could

ask anything from,

like,

do I shave my head to,

um,

you know.

I've got a strange sensation,

is this normal?

I mean,

you'd ask each other the most ridiculous questions,

but you,

but it was needed.

Um,

so,

no,

they were great.

They've been so supportive.

So were you able to attend meetings,

so were you able to attend kind of virtual meetings with lymphoma action?

Um,

they,

we didn't,

they were online support groups,

yes,

um.

That you could dial into,

sorry,

that sounds so old fashioned dial into that you could,

you know,

Skype or

what was it that was Zoom calls,

wasn't it?

There were Zoom calls that we could do,

um.

I wasn't brilliant at doing that.

What I did have was a buddy,

so I could just give her a call,

um,

and obviously,

lymphoma action sorted that out.

And they'd always kind of like match somebody who'd gone through a similar,

because I could say,

there were over 60 types of lymphoma.

So I needed to find somebody who'd gone,

who'd got my lymphoma.

Um,

so they matched me up with somebody,

and

You know,

it was great.

So I could just ring her,

say,

are you free for a chat?

Um,

or,

or text her and going,

Oh,

I'm just having a bit of a wobble,

you know,

any words of advice,

or just,

or just a just a general chit chat,

you know?

And it was great.

Um,

brilliant.

And that kind of got,

got you through until you could get back out into the big wide world again,

because it was a tricky time during COVID for a lot of patients,

wasn't it?

Um,

so.

London Marathon in April.

Yeah,

in training at the moment.

Yes.

What next?

What,

what,

what happens after the London Marathon?

I think first of all,

we learn to walk again,

yeah.

Wait for the blisters to heal.

Yeah,

oh,

definitely.

Um,

I don't,

I don't know.

Definitely,

um,

definitely more running if my legs will allow.

Um,

I've decided that the,

the,

um,

I haven't been overseas yet since

COVID and cancer.

So I've got,

um,

a wish list that includes,

I want to go and run in.

Some different cities,

some different towns,

um,

so,

um,

I'm thinking,

you know,

not too far to start off with,

so maybe in Spain or somewhere,

go to Palma or somewhere and run along,

run along a nice,

nice flat path.

I think there's a good one,

is there a good one in?

Um,

no,

not Benidorm.

There's a good one on Lanzarote,

I believe.

Yeah,

you see that,

that sounds much more appealing,

so a nice bit of sea air

and not as far.

I think a half marathon might become my,

my max.

Yeah.

Oh,

that sounds good.

Yeah.

That sounds like something.

So that's a bit of a,

that's a bit of a goal then,

isn't it?

Yeah,

that's definitely,

I think it's to,

it's to

have that confidence to get on a plane and,

and go overseas

and,

um,

and yeah.

And what better way to explore,

uh,

a place by running round it.

Yeah.

Sounds perfect.

Excellent.

So.

I think,

and I think what you're doing is absolutely amazing.

I think you've,

you're,

you're just inspirational,

and I,

I mean,

good luck for April.

I you don't need it.

You'll be absolutely fine,

I'm sure.

But,

and it's an amazing thing that you're doing.

So I hope you raise plenty of money,

keep the blisters to a minimum.

Get an opportunity to have a really good look,

you know,

have a good look around London and soak up the vibe while you're.

that's all part of it I don't want it to be painful.

No,

no,

try and enjoy it as much as we'll be praying for good dry weather for you,

although you may not want dry weather,

it might be that you want a bit of

moisture,

I don't know.

Oh,

we shall wait and see.

I've got that delight to look forward to.

And and I'll see you soon,

but thanks ever so much.

Take care.

Bye.

Right.

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Author

AChapman

Post date

28/03/2025